The Bali High Prosecutor’s Office (Kejati) conducted Operation Tangkap Tangan (OTT) against a customary village head/Bendesa Adat Berawa, with the initials KR.
KR allegedly extorted an investor with the initials AN for IDR 10 billion in a licensing case for a land sale and purchase transaction in Berawa Village, North Kuta District, Badung Regency, Bali.
KR was arrested on Thursday, May 2, 2024, at around 4 PM while conducting a transaction with AN at a cafe in the Renon area of Denpasar City.
Head of the Bali High Prosecutor’s Office Ketut Sumedana stated that the extortion allegedly committed by Bendesa Adat Berawa with the initials RK could damage the image of tourism and the investment climate on the Island of the Gods.
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“This has damaged the good name of Bali in the eyes of national and international investors. We did (the arrest) to maintain the good name of Balinese traditional culture,” Sumedana said, as reported by Antara.
From the arrest, evidence of money totaling IDR 100 million was found.
Sumedana said that KR, as Bendesa Adat, had made extortion efforts in the sale and purchase process to AN with an unnamed landowner in Berawa Village, Badung.
He said KR was arrested during a transaction while having coffee with AN. The two people who were with them were also secured, but the investigation is still underway regarding their roles.
Many other victims of extortion
Sumedana hopes that acts of extortion committed by traditional village officials, such as those committed by Bendesa Adat Berawa RK, will not happen again.
Moreover, said Sumedana, there was information from the public that the same extortion allegedly occurred in several other places besides Berawa, North Kuta District, Badung Regency.
In fact, RK is also suspected of having made extortion attempts against foreign investors.
“There are only initial allegations of other villages. The report we received was like that. Some foreigners are also asked for some money by the person concerned; we are still investigating,” he said.
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